The Jharkhand agriculture department will get help from professional experts in planning and execution of flagship schemes to trigger a large-scale transformation and raising income of 58 lakh farmers.

An agreement was inked between the state agriculture department and NGO Professional Assistance for Development Action (Pradan) to develop on a pilot basis 100 revenue villages of the state as agriculture clusters.

“We have joined hands with Pradan to ensure that there are no loopholes in the implementation of agricultural schemes along with close monitoring of its execution. The professional experts of Pradan will act as resource person to take the missing gap off the ground completely in the field of agriculture.

“The provided institution will give its free services in the field of agriculture to the state, without incurring additional burden on state exchequer and help in raising income of farmers,” said agriculture minister Badal Patralekh during the signing of the MoU at Ranchi on Tuesday.

The minister further informed that Pradan would prepare plans according to

the weather of the area and give suggestions to the department to make the schemes successful and provide suggestions after assessing the agricultural practices in other states.

“In the first phase 100 villages would be developed as model villages in the state earmarked as agriculture clusters. The NGO will implement Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO), provide a market for agricultural products and create awareness campaigns related to agriculture,” said Badal Patralekh.

Integrator Pradan Jharkhand, Binju Abraham, who inked the pact on behalf of the NGO said that the goal is to reach the farmers effectively while working along with civil society organisations.

“Efforts will be made to make the agriculture sector as a cluster by adding such organisations. Will work on many schemes like water management, livestock etc. Investors will be brought in the field of agriculture,” said Abraham.

Under the agreement, Pradan would help the department to better integrate the agriculture schemes along with the idea of scaling up of agriculture production clusters, strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), creation of infrastructure to support the women and small holders and millet mission for preserving the food of indigenous communities.

“After a span of two years and on seeing the response the number of agriculture cluster villages will be increased across the state,” said a senior official in the agriculture department.

“The agreement will also lead to planning for investment in the areas of water conservation, irrigation facilities and basic infrastructures

for storage and sorting grading centres in order to amplify the potential of high value agriculture crops and horticulture in Jharkhand,” added the official.